How to remove yourself from Google search results – the right to be forgotten

You can now remove any Google search results about you that are no longer relevant, giving you more control over what the internet remembers about you.

The landmark new ruling by the European Court of Justice means that everyone now has the right to be forgotten and stops search engines like Google from bringing up potentially damaging, embarrassing and irrelevant information about you.

It is important to remember that this ruling can only remove information from search results and does not delete the information from the web page itself.

1) Work out if what you want removing qualifies. This ruling is not designed to allow everyone and anyone to remove anything they don’t like about themselves from Google. When considering your request Google will look at if the page contains “outdated information about you as well as whether there’s a public interest in the information – for example, information about financial scams, professional malpractice, criminal convictions or public conduct of government officials.”

If you’re happy that you still qualify, you should fill in Google’s official form by clicking here.

2) You’ll need a copy of a valid form of photo ID to fill in the form. This can be a passport, driving licence or ID card. You should either scan or take a photograph of this ID and blur out any document numbers and other information. Google only requires that the document still contains information that can identify you. You can blur out or cover up information on your ID by either using Microsoft Paint or by downloading Paint.net.

3) On the form select the country you live in then fill in your name and email address. You can also fill in the form for another person, in which case fill in the ‘Your relationship’ box.

Enter the URL or URLs you want removed from Google search results and the reason or reasons for your request. Click Choose File, upload the scan or photo of your photo ID and click ‘Please tick to confirm’. Enter the date and your name to ‘sign’ the document and click Submit.

Google has indicated how long it will take to respond to removal requests, with the company also admitting the current form is only an “initial effort”, so expect it to improve and change in the coming months.